COVID-19 and Camp: Updates and Resources

As part of our Double H Ranch family, you are always in our thoughts and we hope you are all well and staying safe and healthy. At the Double H Ranch, we realize the impact of COVID-19 is evolving on a daily basis and we understand that it is affecting each of us on a personal level.

As you know, COVID-19 is a highly contagious virus. Our Medical Advisory Board and Crisis Response Team have carefully considered all available information on how it is spread to understand whether we could continue to hold our traditional camp programs while keeping our campers, staff, and volunteers safe.

Our first priority remains the health and safety of those we are privileged to serve at camp. I’m writing to you today to share our difficult decision to suspend the traditional Summer Residential Camp 2020, in addition to Spring Family Weekends and Camp Inspiration, at Double H Ranch.

While we understand this is disappointing, the decision was made in the best interest of the children who are entrusted in our care.

The following areas of concern helped to guide this decision: • Strict social distancing policies cannot be accomplished in a summer camp environment. • Our medical team will be needed more than ever in the hospitals and clinics to care for those affected by COVID-19. • In the spirit of our Core Value of having Safe Fun, we continue to prioritize the safety of our campers and we believe the risk is too great to host a traditional summer camp program.

While we will not be hosting traditional residential summer camp on-site, we are committed to providing alternative and virtual programs to all our campers and families. We will plan to bring the magic of camp to the children and families who have counted on us for over 27 years. Our programming staff is hard at work developing new and unique ways to engage with our courageous and resilient campers. Alongside developing new programming, we are exploring ways to continue engaging volunteers for the benefit of our campers, families, and staff. Please stay tuned for updates.

We are so grateful for our extended Double H Ranch Family and we will all get through this together. Please know that during this uncertain time we are here for you and we hope that your thoughts and memories of camp will provide you with strength and the sense of community that makes Double H Ranch so special.

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I lost my mother to AIDS when I was just 7 years old. I was confused and a lost child, trying to understand and find answers. “Why her? Why me? What is “AIDS”? What is “HIV”? How can it be cured?”. I started camp shortly after and eventually received the best answers I could of got. I spend the rest of my childhood, growing into who I am today, at this wonderful place. When I was away from camp, I didn’t feel like I “fit in” anywhere else, but the moment those bus doors opened and we were greeted by our counselors, it felt like home. It felt right. The next decade I spent 1 week of my summer here, and always begged for more time. The boat ceremony was always the hardest. So many tears were shed that night, but we all were hopeful. Hopeful we all were able to make it back the following year. Some didn’t, but most did. I haven’t been back to camp in a decade now. I miss it so much. There is plenty of times when I just sit and think about it, and dreamed of coming back one day as a counselor, or just a visit. I now have my own 7 year old beautiful healthy little girl that calls me mommy. I take what I learned at camp with me through every day parenting. Never to judge others, always be kind, have courage in everything you do, and to never give up. Double H Ranch is my home away from home, and I cherish it so deeply. I even have it tattooed on me! If anyone is looking into bringing your child here, do it. You wont regret it, and they won’t ever stop sharing the memories with you that they had there. I’m turning 28 years old this year, and I feel amazing. Beating odds is an amazing feeling, but not thinking about turning 30 soon is!! Haha! I want to say a huge thank you to all of the counselors because without all of your encouragement and love, we may not of pushed ourselves to try harder. So thank you all!!

The Double H Ranch is a member camp of the SeriousFun Children’s Network, a non-profit umbrella organization with a community of 30 camps and programs worldwide serving seriously ill children and their families. Each member camp, including Double H Ranch, is an independent, not-for-profit organization dependent upon private funding to serve all children at no cost to their families.